Fictional Houses: from Thornfield to Eyre Hall | Rereading Jane Eyre Fictional Houses: from Thornfield to Eyre Hall Posted by lucciagray Throughout literature houses, or buildings where people have converged have become central elements and powerful symbols in the creative process. According to Gaston Bachelard in The Poetics of Space ( La Poétique de l’Espace, 1958), the house becomes the representation of the universe. It can also be examined as the manifestation of the soul through the poetic image. Houses in literature are often places of intimacy which can hold memories, experiences, they can also keep secrets, and arouse sensations, merging into the action by becoming a witness, accomplice, and even instigator of events. In any case, the symbolic value of houses cannot be underestimated. It would be impossible to mention all the houses in English literature. The aim of this brief overview is to bring our attention to the importance of houses by reminding us of some of the most significant literary houses, which have become part of our collective unconscious. We could start with the Herot, the Mead Hall in the epic Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, which J. R. R.

Tolkien recreated as Meduseld (meaning mead hall in Old English) in Middle-earth, a richly decorated meeting and gathering hall for the King and his advisors. Herot was both a seat of government and as royal residence, symbolizing civilization and culture, wealth, safety, and merriment, in contrasts with the darkness, danger, and evil of the swamp waters inhabited by the monster, Grendel. A reconstructed Viking Age longhouse (28.5 metres long) in Fyrkat Our next stop would be at the The Tabard Inn, in the London borough of Southwark, which accommodated the numerous pilgrims on their way to their annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, fictionalised by Geoffrey Chaucer in the The Canterbury Tales. The Inn keeper, Harry Bailly, accompanies the pilgrims on their journey and proposed that each tell two tales on the way to Canterbury.

The Tabard Inn, Southwark, around 1850 Hamlet’s tortured speeches, Ophelia’s singing, his father’s ghost, the deaths of Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, and Hamlet himself, are inseparable from the place where they took place, Elsinore Castle, in Denmark. Helsingoer Kronborg Castle known by many also as “Elsinore,” the setting of William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. The novel which is considered to initiate the gothic genre is set in and called, The Castle of Otranto, written by Horace Walpole. Many more gothic novels are set in singular buildings, such as Count Dracula’s dark and ruined castle inhabited by vampires, recreated by Bram Stoker. By Horace Walpole. Title page from the third edition Moving to the early 19th century, Jane Austen writes about more stately and luxurious houses, such as Pemberley, the fictional country estate owned by Mr. Darcy, in Pride and Prejudice. The beauty of the house plays a key role in Elizabeth Bennet’s attitude towards Darcy and leads to her reappraisal of her first negative opinion of Mr.

Darcy. Harewood House, near Leeds in West Yorkshire, was the setting for Pemberley in the ITV fantasy series Lost in Austen. The middle and end of the 19th century and Victorian literature saw a return to somber abodes, after a brief period of delightful Regency homes. The Bronte sisters resumed the gothic atmosphere in their characters’ dwellings. Wuthering Heights is the name of the inhospitable farmhouse where the story unfolds, and Thrushcross Grange, where the pleasant Lintons lived, represents comfort, peace and refinement. igh Sunderland Hall, near Halifax, West Yorkshire is considered by some as the inspiration for Wuthering Heights. Thornfield Hall, is the unforgettable gothic mansion which Jane Eyre describes thus on her arrival as governess: ‘I looked up and surveyed the front of the mansion. It was three storeys high, of proportions not vast, though considerable: a gentleman’s manor-house, not a nobleman’s seat: battlements round the top gave it a picturesque look.

Its grey front stood out well from the background of a rookery, whose cawing tenants were now on the wing: they flew over the lawn and grounds to alight in a great meadow, from which these were separated by a sunk fence, and where an array of mighty old thorn trees, strong, knotty, and broad as oaks, at once explained the etymology of the mansion’s designation.’ Thornfield was allegedly burnt down by Bertha Mason, the first Mrs. Rochester. Towards the end of the novel, Jane returns and finds it a ‘blackened ruin.’ Haddon Hall has appeared on television in 2006 as Thornfield Hall in Diederick Santer’s 2006 BBC version of Jane Eyre In the sequel, All Hallows at Eyre Hall, Richard Mason begins the narration by describing Eyre Hall, a house Jane Eyre rebuilt on the grounds of her beloved Thornfield Hall. ‘The carriage swayed its way up the birch lined driveway towards Eyre Hall, tunnelling through the ghostly morning mist.

The muggy air reeked of wilting foliage and soggy earth as the carriage halted abruptly, and the coachman closed and barred the heavy yard gates. The vehicle rocked as he leapt on, spurring the horses back into movement. Seconds later, I stepped out unsteadily onto crunchy gravel, adjusted my cloak and hat, and looked up to the rebuilt mansion for the first time. Twenty-three years had passed since my last visit to another house in this same spot, when I was bitten by a raging lioness fighting to preserve her offspring and her reason.’ Eyre Hall has a central role in the novel, having witness the events which have occurred in the last twenty-two years, since Jane married Rochester. Eyre Hall will continue to witness the surprising events that will lead up to Rochester’s death, and thereafter. Another unforgettable fictional dwelling is Satis House, the sinister mansion where Pip meets the spellbinding Estella, and the enigmatic Miss Havisham, is as powerful as any of the characters in Great Expectations.

According to the biographer John Forster, the novelist Charles Dickens, who lived nearby, used Restoration House as a model for Miss Havisham’s Satis House in Great Expectations Manderlay, the house where Max de Winter lived with Rebecca, and his nameless second wife and narrator of Rebecca, is one of the most famous houses in 20th century literature, and one of the most memorable novels written by Daphne du Maurier. Du Maurier’s Childhood visits to Milton Hall, Cambridgeshire, home of the Fitzwilliam family, influenced the descriptions of Manderley, especially the interior. Brideshead Castle, where Lord Sebastian Flyte, the younger son of the aristocratic Lord Marchmain’s family mansion, takes his eccentric Oxford friends to meet his family, still breathes the atmosphere of pre-war England, while passively observing changing times, recreated by Evelyn Waugh, in 1945. Harewood House, seen from the garden.

It has featured in both the television and film versions of Brideshead Revisited Not all novels are set in houses, and houses many not even be significant elements in a novel, but when the character’s abode is central to the action, it becomes one of the most enduring elements in the novel. I hope that readers of All Hallows at Eyre Hall, Volume One of the Eyre Hall Trilogy will feel they have been walking along its corridors and up the stairs into the bed chambers, or sitting in the drawing room by the fireplace, or looking out of the windows towards the wintry landscape. Perhaps they even feel the ghosts of Thornfield lurking around, as Jenny Rosset, one of the characters says to Richard Mason: ‘I was at Thornfield, as you know, but I’ve never been to the new house. It’s in the same spooky place. I bet it’s full of them ghosts I heard at Thornfield. They live in the tree trunks and earth caves around the house. They whisper in the night, sometimes they come out and play mischief.’ Which are your favourite literary houses? In case you don’t remember all their names, there is a much longer list of fictional houses here.

Jane Eyre: Character Profiles | Novelguide Jane Eyre: Character Profiles Average Overall Rating: 3 Total Votes: 6683 Jane: Jane is an orphan who is at first raised by her aunt, Mrs. Reed and is then sent to Lowood School. Jane is considered plain, and learns to enjoy learning and living a simple life. When she goes to Thornfield Hall and is engaged to Mr. Rochester, she does not want to give up her industrious, simple life for one filled with gowns and jewels. When Rochester suggests that they go off together even though they cannot be married, Jane turns to God and finds the strength to leave him. She becomes the mistress of a school in Morton, and friend to the Rivers family. When she receives an inheritance from her uncle, Jane shares it with the Rivers, who she discovers are her family. She then finds Mr. Rochester and the two are married at last. Mr. Rochester: Mr. Rochester is the master of Thornfield Hall. At first Jane finds him withdrawn, but she soon comes to love him and they are to be married. Jane leaves him when she learns that he already has a wife whom he has hidden because she is mad.

He is at times serious and stern, but he claims sympathy, as he seems to have remorse for some aspects of his life. In the end he and Jane are married, and he recovers some of the sight he lost in the fire at Thornfield Hall. Mrs. Fairfax: Mrs. Fairfax is the kindly housekeeper at Thornfield Hall. She hires Jane and is quite welcoming to her. She warns her about getting too close to Mr. Rochester. Adele Varens: Adele is the ward of Mr. Rochester, and the girl that Jane is hired to be governess to. Grace Poole: Mrs. Fairfax attributes all of the laughs Jane hears to Grace, and Jane at first thinks that Grace is responsible for trying to kill Mr. Rochester and then Mr. Mason. Jane cannot understand why she is let to stay, but then realizes that Grace is just the caretaker for the real perpetrator. Bertha Antoinette Mason: Bertha is Rochester's wife. She comes from a family with a history of madness and is locked up as she attacks those who come near her. She is described in animal-like terms, and in the end she sets fire to Thornfield and kills herself.

Mr. Mason: Mr. Mason is Bertha Mason's brother. He comes to stop the wedding of Rochester and Jane. Miss Ingram: Miss Ingram is the beautiful woman whom Rochester makes Jane think he is to marry. She is no longer interested in Rochester when he sends out a rumor that his fortune is not as large as it seems. Mrs. Reed: Mrs. Reed is aunt to Jane and mistress of Gateshead Hall. She had promised to take care of Jane, but cares more for her own children and sends her to Lowood School. She also tries to sabotage Jane's future by telling her Uncle that she is dead. Jane forgives her right before she dies. Georgiana, Eliza and John Reed: These are the children of Mrs. Reed. They do not treat Jane well when she resides at Gateshead Hall. Georgiana is beautiful and turns out to be rather absurd and concerned with herself. Eliza is more industrious and concerned about her finances. John teases and beats Jane constantly and ends up an in-debt drunkard, finally killing himself. Miss Temple: Miss Temple is the superintendent of Lowood School. She is sympathetic to the girls there and tries to help them.

She is admired by Jane and becomes her friend when she becomes a teacher there herself. When Miss Temple gets married and leaves Lowood, Jane decides to leave as well, prompting her move to Thornfield. Mr. Brocklehurst: Mr. Brocklehurst is the manager of Lowood School. He visits Gateshead to meet Jane, and then tells the teachers and students of Lowood that Jane is deceitful. He does not provide enough for the girls at the school, and after the fever killed so many girls, a committee is set up to help him. Helen Burns: Helen is Jane's first friend at Lowood. She does not complain about her position, but tries to be good, telling Jane that she should too. She eventually dies of consumption. Bessie and Robert: Bessie is the nurse at Gateshead whom Jane becomes friends with, and Robert is the coachman. Jane learns they have been married. John and Mary: John and Mary are the married couple that work at Thornfield and then take care of Mr. Rochester at Ferndean.

Jane Eyre Characters - eNotes.com Jane Eyre Characters Trivia Jane Eyre Characters at a Glance Jane Eyre, imaginative and intelligent, survives a difficult childhood and adolescence before finding joy in her marriage to Rochester. Mrs. Reed is Jane's cruel aunt, who despite the dying wishes of her husband, Jane's blood relative, abuses and neglects Jane. John, Eliza, and Georgiana Reed are Jane's maternal cousins, who in their childhood torment Jane, and later have unsatisfying adult lives. Maria Temple is an early supporter of Jane at Lowood, and Jane's favorite teacher. As Jane grows older their relationship changes from a mentorship/guardianship to friendship. Edward Fairfax Rochester is the moody master of Thornfield who softens after he falls in love with Jane. Adele Varens is Rochester’s illegitimate daughter. Though she is a very feminine and good-looking child, she lacks intellectual talent. Mrs. Fairfax is the housekeeper at Thornfield and a supporter of Jane. Bertha Rochester is Edward Rochester’s insane wife who is locked away on the third floor. She sets fire to the house, burning herself and maiming Edward. St.

John Eyre Rivers, the brother of Diane and Mary, is kind, but stern and practical. After discovering that Jane is a family member, he wants her to marry him and go to India to do missionary work. Diane and Mary Rivers find Jane nearly starving on their doorstep after she runs away from Rochester, and take her in, only realizing later that she is their cousin. Both women are very kindhearted and intelligent. link Link Jane Eyre Jane Eyre, a plain child with a vivid imagination, intelligence, and great talent in art and music. Left an orphan in childhood, she is forced to live with her Aunt Reed, who was the sister-in-law of her father. At the Reed home, she is mistreated and spurned, and she is finally sent to a charity home for girls. Her education completed, she teaches at the school for several years and then takes a position as a private governess to the ward of Mr. Rochester. After a strange, tempestuous courtship, she and Mr. Rochester are to be married, but the revelation that his insane first wife still lives prevents the wedding. After each has suffered many hardships, Jane and Mr. Rochester are eventually married.

Edward Fairfax Rochester Edward Fairfax Rochester, a gentleman of thirty-five, the proud, sardonic, moody master of Thornfield. Before Jane Eyre’s arrival to become a governess in his household, he visits Thornfield only occasionally. After he falls in love with Jane, much of his moroseness disappears. When they are separated because the presence of his insane wife becomes known, Mr. Rochester remains at Thornfield. His wife sets fire to the house, and Mr. Rochester loses his eyesight and the use of an arm during the conflagration, in which his wife dies. Summoned, she believes, by his call, Jane Eyre returns a short time later, and the two are married. Adele Varens Adele Varens, the illegitimate daughter of Mr. Rochester and a French opera singer, his ward upon her mother’s death. She is pale, small-featured, extremely feminine, and not especially talented. Mrs. Fairfax Mrs. Fairfax, the elderly housekeeper at Thornfield. She is extremely kind to Jane and is delighted that she and Mr. Rochester are to be married.

Grace Poole Grace Poole, a stern woman with a hard, plain face, supposedly a seamstress at Thornfield but actually the keeper of mad Mrs. Rochester. Occasionally, she tipples too much and neglects her post. Bertha Mason Rochester Bertha Mason Rochester, Mr. Rochester’s insane wife, kept in secret on an upper floor at Thornfield. She had lied and her family had lied when Mr. Rochester met her in Jamaica while traveling, for she was even then demented. During Jane’s stay at Thornfield, Mrs. Rochester tries to burn her husband in bed. Finally, she burns the whole house and herself, and seriously injures her husband. Mrs. Reed Mrs. Reed, an exact, clever, managing woman, the guardian of Jane Eyre. She hates her charge, however, misuses her, and locks her in dark rooms for punishment. At her death, she repents of her actions. Her children turn out badly. Eliza Reed Eliza Reed, her older daughter, a penurious, serious girl who eventually becomes a nun.

John Reed John Reed, the son, a wicked child who torments Jane Eyre and then blames her for his own bad deeds. He ends up as a drunk in London and dies in disgrace. Georgiana Reed Georgiana Reed, the younger daughter, a pretty, spoiled child who later becomes very fat. She makes a poor marriage. Bessie Leaven Bessie Leaven, Mrs. Reed’s governess, pretty, capricious, hasty-tempered. Before Jane Eyre leaves the Reed house, Bessie has become fond of her. Robert Leaven Robert Leaven, Bessie’s husband and Mrs. Reed’s coachman. Abbot Abbot, the Reed’s bad-tempered maid. Mr. Lloyd Mr. Lloyd, an apothecary called in when Jane Eyre becomes sick and feverish after having been locked in a dark room. He suggests that she be sent off to school. Mr. Brocklehurst Mr. Brocklehurst, a strict clergyman and the master of Lowood School. He forces the girls to wear short, uncurled hair and plain wrappers, and he feeds them on a starvation diet.

Maria Temple Maria Temple, the supervisor of Lowood School, a pretty, kind woman who tries against tremendous odds to make her pupils’ lot as easy and pleasant as possible. She is interested in Jane Eyre’s talents and is responsible for her getting a teaching position later at Lowood. Miss Smith Leah, the house servants at Thornfield Hall. Sophie Sophie, the French maid. Mrs. Eshton Mrs. Eshton, a guest at a house party given by Mr. Rochester. Once a handsome woman, she still has a well-preserved style. Mr. Eshton Mr. Eshton, her husband, a magistrate of the district. Amy Eshton Amy Eshton, their older daughter, rather small, naïve, and childlike in manner. Louisa Eshton Louisa Eshton, the younger daughter, a taller and more elegant young woman. Lady Lynn Lady Lynn, another woman whose family is invited to the Thornfield house party; she is large, stout, haughty-looking, and richly dressed. Mrs. Dent Mrs. Dent, another guest, less showy than the others, with a slight figure and a pale, gentle face. Colonel Dent Colonel Dent, her husband, a soldierly gentleman.

The Dowager Lady Ingram The Dowager Lady Ingram, another guest, a proud, handsome woman with hard, fierce eyes. Blanche Ingram Blanche Ingram, her daughter, a young woman with an elegant manner and a loud, satirical laugh, to whom Mr. Rochester is reported engaged. Mary Ingram Frederick Lynn, gentlemen at the party, two dashing sparks. Lord Ingram Lord Ingram, Blanche’s brother, a tall, handsome young man of listless appearance and manner. Mr. Mason Mr. Mason, Mr. Rochester’s brother-in-law. During a visit to see his sister, she wounds him severely. He halts the marriage of Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. Diana Rivers Diana Rivers and Mary Rivers Mary Rivers, daughters of the family with which Jane Eyre takes refuge after running away from Thornfield. They turn out to be her cousins, their mother having been Jane’s aunt. At first they do not know that Jane is a relative because she calls herself Jane Eliot. St. John Rivers St. John Rivers, their brother, a complex religious-minded man who wishes to marry Jane but plans to live with her in platonic fashion while they devote their lives to missionary work in India.

Hannah Hannah, the Rivers’ housekeeper, a suspicious but kind woman. Rosamund Oliver Rosamund Oliver, a beautiful, kind heiress, the sponsor of the school in which St. John Rivers finds Jane a post. Miss Oliver is coquettish and vain, but she holds real affection for Rivers. Mr. Oliver Jane Eyre - sample script - Theater Scripts The Set: Simple one set, very flexible Approximate Length: 2 act, 120 min. A Suspenseful New Musical Mystery: The intriguing world of Charlotte Bronte is explored in this new musical adaptation. At once passionate, romantic and mysterious, Jane Eyre’s journey from oppression to triumph offers an uplifting stage adventure. Sample Songs: Jane Eyre Medley - Jane Eyre Daughter Of The King - Jane Eyre Perfection - Jane Eyre Could He Love Me? - Jane Eyre Finale: God's Plan Reprise - Jane Eyre JANE EYRE CHARACTER LIST CAST OF CHARACTERS (In Order of Appearance) Young Jane - A lonely orphan of 10 yrs. Uncle Reed - Jane’s kindly uncle Mrs.

Reed - His shrewish wife John Reed - Jane’s arrogant cousin Eliza (Lizzy) Reed - Jane’s cousin Georgiana Reed - Jane’s cousin Brocklehurst - Administrator of Lowood School Teacher - Strict Instructor at Lowood Helen - Jane’s compassionate childhood friend Jane Eyre - A courageous, enduring young woman Mrs. Fairfax - Kindly housekeeper at Thornfield Hall Adele - The girl that Jane is hired to be governess to Rochester - Master of Thornfield Hall Grace Poole - Mysterious servant at Thornfield Hall Blanche Ingram - A highbrow socialite Martha Ingram - Her sister Mrs. Ingram - Their outspoken mother Amy Eshton - Ingram’s friend Louisa Eshton - Her sister Mrs. Eshton -(No lines) Their mother Frederick - A gentleman Jane Eyre Chapter 11 Summary & Analysis from LitCharts | The creators of SparkNotes The Spiritual and the Supernatural Summary Analysis Jane arrives at Thornfield Hall at night, and therefore can't make out much more than the house's exterior splendor in the dark. She meets the kind old Mrs. Fairfax, who leads her through the cavernous house to a cozy and snug bedroom. To Jane's surprise, Mrs.

Fairfax is not the owner of Thornfield but the head housekeeper. She learns from Mrs. Fairfax that Mr. Rochester owns the place but only shows up intermittently. Mrs. Fairfax describes Rochester as peculiar, well-traveled, and a good master. With its dark splendor, mysterious and absent master, and suggestive name, Thornfield Hall has a Gothic feel to it. Jane, like Mrs. Fairfax, is a servant and dependent to the "master" of the house. These servants and dependents, it seems, will be her new "family." Active Themes Jane meets her new pupil, the hyperactive French girl Adèle Varens, whose mother was a French singer and dancer and who is Rochester's ward. Later, Mrs. Fairfax leads Jane on a tour of the luxuriously furnished house. The third floor is packed with old furniture, odds and ends of the past. Jane considers it strange enough for a ghost to live in. How and why Rochester has a ward deepens the mystery surrounding him. Did he have an affair, breaking social and religious ethics? The strange third floor adds Gothic flavor to Thornfield Hall.

Active Themes After they leave the third floor, strange laughter echoes above them, spooking Jane. Mrs. Fairfax blames the noise on Grace Poole, a servant and seamstress whom Mrs. Fairfax scolds and reminds to "remember directions." Thornfield's supernatural qualities grow even more pronounced. Active Themes Thornfield Hall in Jane Eyre - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com Thornfield Hall in Jane Eyre Watch short & fun videos Start Your Free Trial Today An error occurred trying to load this video. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. You must create an account to continue watching Register for a free trial Are you a student or a teacher? I am a student Start Your Free Trial To Continue Watching As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Coming up next: Moor House in Jane Eyre You're on a roll. Keep up the good work!

Your next lesson will play in 10 seconds 0:00 The Two Faces of… 0:58 Thornfield as a Gothic Icon 3:20 Thornfield -… Add to Add to Add to Want to watch this again later? Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. Custom Courses are courses that you create from Study.com lessons. Use them just like other courses to track progress, access quizzes and exams, and share content. Teachers Organize and share selected lessons with your class. Make planning easier by creating your own custom course. Students Create a new course from any lesson page or your dashboard. From any lesson page: Click "Add to" located below the video player and follow the prompts to name your course and save your lesson. From your dashboard: Click on the "Custom Courses" tab, then click "Create course". Next, go to any lesson page and begin adding lessons. Edit your Custom Course directly from your dashboard. Personalize: Name your Custom Course and add an optional description or learning objective. Organize: Create chapters to group lesson within your course. Remove and reorder chapters and lessons at any time. Share your Custom Course or assign lessons and chapters.

Teacher Edition: Share or assign lessons and chapters by clicking the "Teacher" tab on the lesson or chapter page you want to assign. Students' quiz scores and video views will be trackable in your "Teacher" tab. Premium Edition: You can share your Custom Course by copying and pasting the course URL. Only Study.com members will be able to access the entire course. Create an account to start this course today Try it free for 5 days! Lesson Transcript Instructor: Terri Beth Miller Terri Beth has taught college writing and literature courses since 2005 and has a PhD in literature. This lesson analyzes Thornfield Hall, the setting of Charlotte Bronte's 'Jane Eyre.' Read on to learn how Thornfield Hall represents both the conventions of the traditional Gothic tale and the changing conditions of the aristocracy in imperial England. The Two Faces of Thornfield Hall Charlotte Bronte's iconic 1847 novel Jane Eyre introduces readers to one of the most famous love stories of all time, that between the brooding aristocrat Edward Rochester and the humble governess Jane Eyre. Thornfield Hall, the Gothic ancestral manor, is the setting of Jane and Rochester's romance.

It bears impassive witness to the discovery of Rochester's 'mad' wife, Bertha Mason, locked in the attic. It sets the stage for Jane's decision to tear herself from the man she loves rather than condescending to become his mistress, and its ultimate destruction enables the couple's happy reunion. This setting enables Bronte to play with all the classic conventions of Gothic romance, a genre popular during the early 19th century, while exploring important issues that are very much of the real world; from the struggles of the aristocracy in a rapidly modernizing world, to the tragedy of mental illness, to evolving perspectives on love, sex, and morality. Thornfield as Gothic Icon Thornfield Hall is the perfect setting for a Gothic romance, or a story driven by mystery, intrigue, drama, and supernatural elements. The ancestral home of the Rochester family for hundreds of years, the restless spirits of countless ghosts would seem certain to haunt its antique halls. Mysteries and menaces seem ever-ready to leap from hidden nooks and crannies, unfolding themselves before the thrilled and terrified eyes of unsuspecting mortals.

All of these, of course, are simply the tropes, or conventions, of Gothic writing in the era, and Bronte plays with these clichés to wonderful effect. Thornfield Hall is truly creepy, and the story Bronte tells is a page-turner, with all the romance, melodrama, thrills, and chills that a Victorian reader could want. Bronte uses Gothic conventions, however, not only to win readers and tell a captivating story, but also to comment on the reality underlying this escapist fiction. Because the truth is that there is no ghost haunting Thornfield Hall, the terrors in the Rochester estate derive not from the other world, but from this one. Here, first, is the tragedy of mental illness, of a sickness so severe it seems to rob Bertha Mason of her very humanity. And here also are unforgiving social and legal constraints which all too often transform homes into prisons, and the bonds of marriage into manacles. Bertha Mason is locked in the attic, allowed to languish in her illness, because there simply is no other recourse for her. The mentally ill were locked away, either in homes or asylums, because Victorian society had created, as yet, no better alternatives.

There were few therapeutic options in a culture in which mental illness was little understood and, not coincidentally, widely feared, detested, and denied. In addition to the Gothic nightmare of Bertha Mason's suffering is the mockery her plight makes of the bonds of marriage between man and wife. In a culture in which the marriage contract was virtually insoluble, Rochester had few options but to remain with a woman who could not be his wife. In this way, Bronte may be read as commenting both on religious doctrine and on the impositions of the law courts in regard to moral issues. Because Rochester has so few legal options, and even fewer options that the Church would sanction, he is driven to take a series of lovers in substitution for the marital relationship he is denied. When he falls in love with Jane, these legal and theological barriers push him to attempt an even more desperate act: bigamy. Thornfield - Aristocratic Money Pit Thornfield is equally significant as a symbol of the challenges facing the aristocratic classes in the 19th century. The Industrial Revolution was reaching fever pitch, changing the economy the world over. Western society was becoming increasingly modernized and urbanized, as an upwardly mobile middle class began to emerge.

The role of the aristocratic class came under increasing scrutiny in the 19th century, as the nation's wealth began to fall increasingly into the hands of commoners, those thriving in the new industrialized economy, making their fortunes in business, trade, technology, or colonization. × Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre - UI Victorian Wiki - UIowa Wiki UI Victorian Wiki #Bibliography The Life and Times of Charlotte Bronte, and Its Impact on Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte was born in 1816, to Reverend Patrick and Maria Bronte, in Thornton of Yorkshire, England. She was the third of six children, including her sisters Emily and Anne who were born in 1818 and 1820. In 1820, the Bronte family moved to Haworth, a small town on the edge of the industrial Pennines, so that Patrick could secure a job as a curate. Shortly after in 1821, Maria Bronte took ill and died. After Marias death, her sister (Charlottes aunt) Elizabeth Branwell came to care for the children.

In 1824, the four eldest girls of the Bronte family (Maria, Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Emily) were enrolled as pupils at the Clergy Daughters School at Cowan Bridge, a boarding school for daughters of clergy. A year later in 1825, Maria and Elizabeth both took ill at school and returned home to die. Charlotte and Emily, understandably, followed their sisters home. For the next six years, the remaining Bronte sisters, along with their brother Branwell, were educated at home. During this period of time, Charlottes imagination flourished. The children developed complex fantasy worlds of glass towns, and wrote of them in dozens of microscopically printed books. In 1834, Charlotte and Branwell conceived a complex world called Angria. In 1831 Charlotte left home and became a pupil at Miss Wooler’s Boarding School for Young Ladies at Roe’s Head; she then taught there as a governess from 1835-1838. In 1839 Charlotte accepted a position as a private governess for the Sidgewick family, and in 1841 took up the same position in the White family.

She left both positions after a few months time. In 1841, upon Charlottes return to Haworth from being a governess, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte decided to open their own school after the necessary and required preparations had been fulfilled. Charlotte and Emily traveled to Brussels in 1842 to complete their studies; Charlotte then, after a brief return home, remained in Brussels until 1844. Charlotte returned home in late 1844, and her and her sisters attempted to found their own school, which was an utter failure. The following year, Charlotte decided to publicly publish a selection of the three sisters poems under pseudonyms: Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Action Bell. Charlottes first novel, The Professor, was initially rejected for publication (it was not published until 1857). In 1847 however, Charlotte’s Jane Eyre, published again under the name Bell, became an instant success. Emily’s Wuthering Heights and Ann’s Agnes Grey were also very popular. Charlotte became engaged to Reverend Arthur Bell Nicholls, curate of Haworth and associate of her father, in 1854.

Though Charlotte and Nicholls were married, it is clear that Charlotte only admired Nicholls and never truly loved him. Emily and Branwell Bronte died in 1848, and Ann died in May of 1849. Later in 1854, Charlotte, expecting a child, caught pneumonia and never recovered. She died on March 31st 1855. Autobiographical Elements in Jane Eyre It is clear that Bronte pulled from her own life experiences while writing Jane Eyre. The Timeline above illustrates some of the major similarities between Bronte and Jane's lives. They were both motherless from a young age, and raised by an aunt. They both went to religious boarding school, and had loved ones die there. Furthermore, they both took up jobs as governesses and tried to establish their own schools. Jane and Bronte also share a thirst for traveling and a mutual restlessness; Jane is always restless and wishing to be elsewhere.

Bronte did have the luxury of being able to travel to Brussels to study, but in a way it seems that she communicates feelings of unrest and the need for independence through Jane.Jane Eyre is not only an intimate look into the private life of a fictional character, but perhaps the personal life of Bronte as well. Cast of Characters Jane – narrator and heroine of the novel. Readers follow her growth from a child to a young lady to a woman, and from place to place as she constantly is moving around. Jane is characterized as witty, headstrong, and stubborn. She has a great personal sense of pride and a strong sense of right vs. wrong. Despite acting and wanting to be fiercely independent, Jane is always seeing approval and love from others (one of the great anomalies of her character). Jane also, despite having a strong personality, seems transient in her habits and values as she moves from one place to another; she absorbs qualities from others, and then casts them off in no time as she moves on to the next place.Moving from place to place was natural for Jane, for she is constantly restless and needing to find a change of setting to explore the world. Jane has a knack for telling stories - she tells the reader that herself.

That skill, in combination with personal bias and emotion, can lead the reader to question Jane as a narrator throughout the novel. Jane was one of the most groundbreaking characters of Victorian Literature because she is a strong woman figure that challenges the social and economic restraints that were on women at the time. Jane's desire for independence, knowledge, and mobility set an example for progressive Victorian women everywhere. More on Progressivism in Jane Eyre Gateshead John Reed – Jane’s cousin, son of Mrs. Reed and brother to Eliza and Georgina. He bullies Jane as a child. Eliza Reed – Janes cousin, daughter of Mrs. Reed and sister to John and Georgina. Georgina Reed – Jane’s cousin, daughter of Mrs. Reed and sister to John and Eliza. Is seen as the pretty and spoiled child in the household. Mrs. Aunt Reed – Wife of the late Mr. Uncle Reed, who was the brother to Jane’s Uncle; mother to Eliza, Georgina, and John Reed. After Mr. Reed died prematurely, Jane became Mrs. Reeds charge. Bessie Lee – Bessie is the Reed childrens and Janes nanny; she is in charge of looking after the children.

In the novel, the little solace that Jane does find is in Bessie. Mr. Lloyd – Mr. Lloyd is the doctor that is called in to attend to Jane after the incident in the Red Room. He is the person who first proposes sending Jane to school to Mrs. Reed. SparkNotes: Jane Eyre: Character List Character List Plot Overview Analysis of Major Characters Jane Eyre - The protagonist and narrator of the novel, Jane is an intelligent, honest, plain-featured young girl forced to contend with oppression, inequality, and hardship. Although she meets with a series of individuals who threaten her autonomy, Jane repeatedly succeeds at asserting herself and maintains her principles of justice, human dignity, and morality. She also values intellectual and emotional fulfillment. Her strong belief in gender and social equality challenges the Victorian prejudices against women and the poor. Read an in-depth analysis of Jane Eyre. Edward Rochester - Jane’s employer and the master of Thornfield, Rochester is a wealthy, passionate man with a dark secret that provides much of the novel’s suspense. Rochester is unconventional, ready to set aside polite manners, propriety, and consideration of social class in order to interact with Jane frankly and directly.

He is rash and impetuous and has spent much of his adult life roaming about Europe in an attempt to avoid the consequences of his youthful indiscretions. His problems are partly the result of his own recklessness, but he is a sympathetic figure because he has suffered for so long as a result of his early marriage to Bertha. Read an in-depth analysis of Edward Rochester. St. John Rivers - Along with his sisters, Mary and Diana, St. John (pronounced “Sinjin”) serves as Jane’s benefactor after she runs away from Thornfield, giving her food and shelter. The minister at Morton, St. John is cold, reserved, and often controlling in his interactions with others. Because he is entirely alienated from his feelings and devoted solely to an austere ambition, St. John serves as a foil to Edward Rochester. Read an in-depth analysis of St. John Rivers. Mrs. Reed - Mrs. Reed is Jane’s cruel aunt, who raises her at Gateshead Hall until Jane is sent away to school at age ten. Later in her life, Jane attempts reconciliation with her aunt, but the old woman continues to resent her because her husband had always loved Jane more than his own children.

Bessie Lee - The maid at Gateshead, Bessie is the only figure in Jane’s childhood who regularly treats her kindly, telling her stories and singing her songs. Bessie later marries Robert Leaven, the Reeds’ coachman. Mr. Lloyd - Mr. Lloyd is the Reeds’ apothecary, who suggests that Jane be sent away to school. Always kind to Jane, Mr. Lloyd writes a letter to Miss Temple confirming Jane’s story about her childhood and clearing Jane of Mrs. Reed’s charge that she is a liar. Georgiana Reed - Georgiana Reed is Jane’s cousin and one of Mrs. Reed’s two daughters. The beautiful Georgiana treats Jane cruelly when they are children, but later in their lives she befriends her cousin and confides in her. Georgiana attempts to elope with a man named Lord Edwin Vere, but her sister, Eliza, alerts Mrs. Reed of the arrangement and sabotages the plan. After Mrs. Reed dies, Georgiana marries a wealthy man. Eliza Reed - Eliza Reed is Jane’s cousin and one of Mrs. Reed’s two daughters (along with her sister, Georgiana).

Not as beautiful as her sister, Eliza devotes herself somewhat self-righteously to the church and eventually goes to a convent in France where she becomes the Mother Superior. John Reed - John Reed is Jane’s cousin, Mrs. Reed’s son, and brother to Eliza and Georgiana. John treats Jane with appalling cruelty during their childhood and later falls into a life of drinking and gambling. John commits suicide midway through the novel when his mother ceases to pay his debts for him. Helen Burns - Helen Burns is Jane’s close friend at the Lowood School. She endures her miserable life there with a passive dignity that Jane cannot understand. Helen dies of consumption in Jane’s arms. Read an in-depth analysis of Helen Burns. Mr. Brocklehurst - The cruel, hypocritical master of the Lowood School, Mr. Brocklehurst preaches a doctrine of privation, while stealing from the school to support his luxurious lifestyle. After a typhus epidemic sweeps Lowood, Brocklehurst’s shifty and dishonest practices are brought to light and he is publicly discredited. Maria Temple - Maria Temple is a kind teacher at Lowood, who treats Jane and Helen with respect and compassion.

Along with Bessie Lee, she serves as one of Jane’s first positive female role models. Miss Temple helps clear Jane of Mrs. Reed’s accusations against her. Miss Scatcherd - Jane’s sour and vicious teacher at Lowood, Miss Scatcherd behaves with particular cruelty toward Helen. Alice Fairfax - Alice Fairfax is the housekeeper at Thornfield Hall. She is the first to tell Jane that the mysterious laughter often heard echoing through the halls is, in fact, the laughter of Grace Poole—a lie that Rochester himself often repeats. Bertha Mason - Rochester’s clandestine wife, Bertha Mason is a formerly beautiful and wealthy Creole woman who has become insane, violent, and bestial. She lives locked in a secret room on the third story of Thornfield and is guarded by Grace Poole, whose occasional bouts of inebriation sometimes enable Bertha to escape. Bertha eventually burns down Thornfield, plunging to her death in the flames. Grace Poole - Grace Poole is Bertha Mason’s keeper at Thornfield, whose drunken carelessness frequently allows Bertha to escape. When Jane first arrives at Thornfield, Mrs. Fairfax attributes to Grace all evidence of Bertha’s misdeeds.

Adèle Varens - Jane’s pupil at Thornfield, Adèle Varens is a lively though somewhat spoiled child from France. Rochester brought her to Thornfield after her mother, Celine, abandoned her. Although Celine was once Rochester’s mistress, he does not believe himself to be Adèle’s father. Celine Varens - Celine Varens is a French opera dancer with whom Rochester once had an affair. Although Rochester does not believe Celine’s claims that he fathered her daughter Adèle, he nonetheless brought the girl to England when Celine abandoned her. Rochester had broken off his relationship with Celine after learning that Celine was unfaithful to him and interested only in his money. Sophie - Sophie is Adèle’s French nurse at Thornfield. Richard Mason - Richard Mason is Bertha’s brother. During a visit to Thornfield, he is injured by his mad sister. After learning of Rochester’s intent to marry Jane, Mason arrives with the solicitor Briggs in order to thwart the wedding and reveal the truth of Rochester’s prior marriage. Mr. Briggs - John Eyre’s attorney, Mr.

Briggs helps Richard Mason prevent Jane’s wedding to Rochester when he learns of the existence of Bertha Mason, Rochester’s wife. After John Eyre’s death, Briggs searches for Jane in order to give her her inheritance. Blanche Ingram - Blanche Ingram is a beautiful socialite who despises Jane and hopes to marry Rochester for his money. Diana Rivers - Diana Rivers is Jane’s cousin, and the sister of St. John and Mary. Diana is a kind and intelligent person, and she urges Jane not to go to India with St. John. She serves as a model for Jane of an intellectually gifted and independent woman. Mary Rivers - Mary Rivers is Jane’s cousin, the sister of St. John and Diana. Mary is a kind and intelligent young woman who is forced to work as a governess after her father loses his fortune. Like her sister, she serves as a model for Jane of an independent woman who is also able to maintain close relationships with others and a sense of meaning in her life. Rosamond Oliver - Rosamond is the beautiful daughter of Mr. Oliver, Morton’s wealthiest inhabitant. Rosamond gives money to the school in Morton where Jane works. Although she is in love with St.

John, she becomes engaged to the wealthy Mr. Granby. John Eyre - John Eyre is Jane’s uncle, who leaves her his vast fortune of 20,000 pounds. Uncle Reed - Uncle Reed is Mrs. Reed’s late husband. In her childhood, Jane believes that she feels the presence of his ghost. Because he was always fond of Jane and her mother (his sister), Uncle Reed made his wife promise that she would raise Jane as her own child. It is a promise that Mrs. Reed does not keep.

Question: Which literary character's home was Thornfield Hall?
Answer: Mr (Edward) Rochester